Desperate Housewives stars to appear in court

Nicollette Sheridan - who played Edie Britt on Desperate Housewives - claims the show's creator, Marc Cherry, hit her across the head with an open hand during a 2008 argument. Photo / Supplied

The stars of Desperate Housewives have been called to appear at Nicollette Sheridan's court case.

Eva Longoria, Teri Hatcher, Marcia Cross and Felicity Huffman have all been named as defence witnesses in the wrongful dismissal trial that started in Los Angeles yesterday.

Nicollette - who played Edie Britt in the long-running drama - claims creator Marc Cherry hit her across the head with an open hand during a 2008 argument about a cut line of dialogue.

She later complained to network ABC and believes her character was killed off in a 2009 car accident as a result.

In her lawsuit, Sheridan alleges that Marc, "forcefully hit her with his hand across her face and head," to which she responded, "You just hit me in the head. That is not okay. That is not okay."

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the 48-year-old actress is seeking damages of £2.5million - the wages she believes she missed out on after having her part cut.

She was originally seeking £12.6million in damages for sexual and gender harassment, assault and battery, infliction of emotional distress and wrongful termination, but the charges were reduced to just wrongful termination and battery in the pre-trial phases. The judge also insisted she could only claim for a maximum of one year's salary.

Nicollette - who is scheduled to take the stand for eight hours in the trial that is expected to last 11 days - is also suing ABC and Touchstone Television, which produces the show.

ABC insists the axing of her character was routine. In court papers filed before the hearing, lawyers said: "Death is as much a part of scripted television as it is a part of life.

"Of course, whenever a character dies, an actor loses a job. That is what happened here."

- BANG! Showbiz